Covert Affairs
by forgottenxfairy
Summary: She had loved him all this time, a love so delicate and fragile it terrified her. / Jerza / (This is a collaboration between snogfairy and forgottenwhispersxo for the Jerza Love Fest.)
1. Chapter 1

**Series: **Fairy Tail.  
><strong>Pairing: <strong>Jerza.  
><strong>Mentioned:<strong> Lyredy.  
><strong>Rating: <strong>T+

**A/N (forgottenwhispers):** This is part one of a collab with my Sunshine: snogfairy. Philine and I wanted to write something canon that was intimate and meaningful without stepping into the 'smut' territory this time. I'm having a difficult time writing and, I'm not going to lie, this isn't my best work. Not by a long shot. But it's all I can manage right now.

**_Jerza Love Fest Day 4: Caught In The Act._**

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><p><em>;She had loved him all this time, a love so delicate and fragile it terrified her.<em>

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><p>Erza fingered the lingerie spread on Lucy's bed gingerly. The dull thump of her heart beating made her head spin and her vision blur as though heat waves danced along her eyelids. Lucy knitted her fingers together as she watched Erza eye the lingerie she'd picked out for this special occasion. The material felt so soft beneath her fingertips that Erza couldn't fathom ever wearing the fabric on her body. It was so delicate, like a bubble floating through the sky, waiting to be popped by careless hands. It seemed a shame to wear it, really. And the <em>lace, <em>Erza had never seen anything like it. She'd ventured into Lucy's drawers before but this was something else entirely.

"You said to grab something cute," Lucy gestured to the assortment of undergarments spread across the bed, "These are cute. I bought a variety so you could pick something _suitable_, you know? Juvia helped a little before she passed out."

Their eyes shifted to the unconscious woman in the corner of the room with her legs curled around a pillow. Erza didn't dare imagine where Juvia's mind had wandered to drive her into that state.

"Do you wear… do you wear this kind of thing every day, Lucy?"

"Hm? You mean lingerie like this?" she paused. "Of course."

"How bold!"

Lucy's interest inlingerie didn't match Erza's anxiety one bit. She wanted to wow Jellal, but the chance of him seeing her undergarments was slim at best. After all, their past attempts at dating had been cut short each time. They were but two threads on an intricate web that touched for a brief time, only to be severed by a storm. Just making it on their date without interruption would make Erza happy…

"Hey, Erza… what are you going to wear?"

Erza glanced at the armour hugging her torso and rapped her knuckles against the surface. The colour drained from Lucy's cheeks. Two hands were against Erza's shoulders in a heartbeat, thrashing the redhead around with a great deal of panic.

"What is it? Did you want a fight, Lucy?"

Lucy stiffened. "N-no! A dress! You have to wear a dress!"

"A dress? But my armour is quite efficient, what if—"

"No! No, no, no! And your hair! We need to do your hair! Cancer, I'll call Cancer. He'll fix this. And Virgo. Virgo can—"

"Lucy," Erza breathed a sigh and set a hand on the blonde's arm, "Thank you, but I'm fine. Really."

After a good twenty minutes of coercion, Erza found herself clad in an elegant dress that gave true meaning to the name Titania. It flowed to her ankles, snug against her voluptuous figure. The shade was beautiful, a deep scarlet red that matched the hair hanging over her shoulders. The woman in the mirror looked tense. Vulnerable. Erza clasped a fist at her side and studied her complexion. Beads of sweat rolled off her temples, memorising the curve of her jaw before dripping onto the carpet below.

"I can't do this," she whispered, "I can't do this, Lucy."

"Of course you can," Lucy grinned, resting a hand on Erza's shoulder, "You're Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail. You an do anything you put your mind to."

Setting a hand over Lucy's, Erza took a moment to catch her breath and still the rapid beating of her heart. She could do this. She had to.

"Thank you, Lucy."

"Besides," Lucy lifted the dress to Erza's knees and gave a mischievous smile, "He has easy access to the underwear you picked out while you wear th—"

"That's quite enough! I've changed my mind! Come, if we stop by the guild we can be off on a mission before noon! I'll have the Master inform Jellal of my absence."

Erza didn't make it far before Juvia was at her feet and Lucy at her back. Restrained by her comrades, Erza gave a sigh of defeat. The reason she didn't fight them was obvious —

She wanted to see Jellal.

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><p>Streamers of sunlight poked through the trees shadowing Magnolia Park. The breeze upset the leaves, making them shudder and rustle as she passed beneath them. Erza tread the path cautiously, wary of where her heels touched the ground. She tried to picture the faces of her comrades as they pushed her out the door, tried to picture their confident smiles. She'd rather face an entire dark guild than deal with these antsy emotions of hers.<p>

Or maybe not.

In the distance, clad in attire that covered his face, Jellal approached with his head down and his hands folded neatly across his chest. Erza came to a steady halt to give herself time to breathe. She knew it was him. She knew by the way his presence flooded the entire park, a deep flame in a dense forest; it overwhelmed her. The attraction swelled inside her, swirling like hot vapour.

He closed the distance before she could find a steady breath, his hand extended towards her. She eyed it for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. And then he laughed and took her hand into his own, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. So far so good. She glanced about the park, searching for distractions, interruptions. When she found none, Erza took another glance just to be sure. Today would go well, she could feel it in the soft lace wrapped around her waist.

"Erza," his voice pulled her in, "It's good to see you."

She couldn't swallow past the lump in her throat. Everything blurred around them. He was pulled into focus so suddenly she didn't have time to catch her breath. All this talk of love and _that _with Lucy made Erza's mind wander. She didn't want to sneak around with him. She'd pass up _cake _if it meant spending time with him. She thought about how his lips would taste. And then she thought about how his lips would taste with cake on them. Her cheeks flushed. The question that slipped from her lips derailed her train of thought, if only for a moment.

"How is Meredy doing?"

He grimaced. "She's fine."

Erza knew that look. It was his paternal 'she's growing up too fast' look. It seared through Erza's soul, making her physically shudder. Perhaps, someday, she and Jellal could have a family of their own. She tried to picture it, to picture miniature Jellal's roaming around calling her 'Mother'. If not, they could always adopt Meredy. That thought curled her lips into a smile. She tried not to think about it too much, tried not to think about babies. Or the process in which babies are made.

"Well, we should be going," she could stand and stare at him all day, but the absurdity of her feelings prevented her from slipping into a dazed, lovey-dovey state. She didn't like the nausea those feelings brought. "Before something goes wrong."

Jellal shook his head and his eyes grew distant. He was thinking back to their failed attempts in the past. "You're right."

His eyes roamed every curve of her body before he pulled his hand away. Had he noticed her dress? Did she look terrible? Why wasn't he saying anything? His mouth moved but no words came out. Panic drained the warmth from Erza's cheeks. Clutching at the folds of her borrowed dress, she leaned forward apprehensively and waited for his comment. An eternity seemed to pass before he opened his mouth to speak again.

"I hope you saved room for cake, Erza."

Disappointment stole at her features. "Of course."

As they walked through the park, Erza's eyes followed the hand closest to her. Watched it sway and move aimlessly through the space between them. She wanted to take it. Wanted him to squeeze her fingers as he had before. But she wouldn't permit herself to move. Her hand stayed at her side, rigid, her muscles tense. She wished to don her armour once more, to tap her knuckles against the firm steel.

When they left the park, Erza caught the occasional glance following Jellal from the corner of her eye. They recognised him from the Grand Magic Games, at least, she prayed that was the reason for their curious stares. Either way, having eyes follow them erected bumps on her skin. A cold chill spread along her spine. What if they recognised him? What if something interrupted their date again? She had to tell him. She had to tell him how she felt, to hold his hand and—

She felt her heel give way long before Jellal's arm swept around her waist. Her ankle throbbed as she tumbled back, pain pulsing through her leg. Heaving a deep breath, Erza squeezed her eyes shut as he raised her back to her feet. Clutching at his back, she tested the heel beneath her, relieved to find it still intact. She could feel the shape of his palm pressing against the small of her back, feel the heat of it through the thin material of her dress.

"Erza… are you alright?"

She raised her head to look at him, surprised at the proximity of their faces. She'd have focused on his lips, were they not hidden away from her. She cursed their need to move discreetly, cursed their unfortunate circumstances. She was reminded of the incident before, of the time he'd pushed her away from him. They'd almost kissed back then.

Oh how she wished they had.

"I don't think your Fiancée would like this," she breathed, a small smile on her lips, "Or did you forget?"

A flicker of guilt touched his eyes and he withdrew from their sudden embrace, giving a squeeze to her shoulders before turning away from her. Erza walked a few slow, cautious steps, testing the stability of her heel before assuming her rightful place beside him. She wished their relationship could be normal. She longed to be near him without violating any laws. White hot need spread through her each time she stole a glance at his face. She wanted to date him openly, to hold his hand in public, to kiss him goodnight and wake in his arms the next morning. She'd read more than her fair share of erotic novels to fantasise about an intimate relationship with Jellal. To think about his hands roaming every curve of her body, to picture his lips grazing her lips. But fantasy wasn't enough anymore. She didn't want to hide. He shouldn't need to disguise himself, and she shouldn't feel embarrassed by the unwelcome eyes that followed them down the street. She had loved him all this time, a love so delicate and fragile it terrified her. And yet she would be nothing without it.

"Listen, Erza, about that time…"

"Don't say anything more. It's in the past."

He pulled at the scarf around his neck and sighed. "Erza, I—"

Coming to a halt outside one of the smaller stores scattered throughout Magnolia, Erza latched onto Jella's wrist and hoisted him around to face the window. The force was enough to drive him into the glass and he groaned from the impact. Erza then pushed against the back of his head and pressed her nose to the cold glass. The surface fogged beneath her hot breath.

_"I have an idea."_


	2. Chapter 2

**_Jerza Love Fest Day 4: Caught In The Act._**

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><p><strong>A.N. (snogfairy)<strong>: Part 2 of my collab for the Jerza Love Fest with forgottenwhispersxo!:) She wrote the awesome first part!

So, this one will be entirely ridiculous and not as serious as Part 1, haha. It's based on a headcanon I came up with alongside my love blamedorange, who also drew a piece for this two-part fic! : Enjoy!

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><p>"And you're… sure this will be a sufficient disguise?"<p>

"Of course." Erza's eyes sparkled proudly as she eyed her accomplished work. "No one will suspect anything, Mr Gerard."

His shoulders slumped. Mr Gerard? The things he did for this woman.

Still, he was determined to spend this day with her as carefree as possible. They had enough sorrows already, and serious was something they had to be too much on every other day. Incredible enough as it was, the day seemed to have arrived where it would actually, _finally_happen: they would go on a date without being interrupted. Today was reserved for fun, even if that meant taking on the identity of Mr Gerard, moustache and all.

"Well. I guess the moustache does make me look rather sophisticated and mature."

She gave him a small smile before grabbing his arm and dragging him along.

"Come on, I want to take you to my favourite café."

His eyes kept reverting back to where her hand firmly grabbed his wrist as they walked on through the busy streets of Magnolia. He could get used to this.

When they came to a halt in front of a cute little house, she let go, and he couldn't stop the twinge of disappointment that shot through him at the loss of her touch.

"This is it."

He could see why she loved it. Big yellow shutters decorated the upper row of windows, the white curtains swaying in the light breeze. Beside the large, arched entrance door, big pots with lilac rose into the air, the sweet scent blowing in their direction. The tables inside aswell as outside were almost completely occupied, yet the busy ado around them still managed to give off a relaxed atmosphere. The sound of clinking cutlery and immersed conversations filled the air. It was absolutely her taste.

They found a free table in the right corner of the spacious outside section. She ordered sweet chai latte and the obligatory strawberry cheesecake, he ordered black coffee.

"So…" he harrumphed, a little nervous about what he was about to say. "That's a really nice dress."

_Finally._

"Th-thankyou! You wouldn't believe the effort it took Lucy to convince me. But-" She bit her lip when their eyes met, and her complexion changed to match her dress perfectly. "She said it was… the colour of my hair."

For a moment, they both had to try and keep their facial expressions under control, but Jellal just couldn't keep the amusement, as well as a furious blush, off his face. He had understood the allusion all too well.

And so they sat, talking and laughing and, for once, not having a care in the world. Not a care in the world that is, until Jellal spotted something at the far end of the outside area. Some_one_. Instinctively, he pushed his glasses further up his nose.

Only when Erza chuckled softly did he snap out of his petrified state. She reached over, and for a moment he forgot his old friend sitting alone at a table across them.

"Jellal, that's a little too far."

She pushed the glasses, which had pulled the attached moustache almost atop of his nose, back down. But all he heard was his name.

"Erza."

His tone made her falter.

"It's Mr Gerard." With a quick nod he directed her attention to Doranbolt and his big, colourful Vol-Cone-O Supreme Kid's Special Sundae.

When she faced him again, she seemed quite solemn all of a sudden.

"Oh, Meredy and Lyon chose the same café? What a coincidence. I didn't know they were dating?"

_What?! _He craned his neck, and indeed, there they sat, obstructed from his former view by Erza's head.

Oh dear, had the whole universe conspired against him?

Wait. Oh _no_. They were on a _date_?

This was unacceptable. Meredy was not of a suitable age, and she was under _his_ care. He was ready to jump up, but then his senses kicked back in. He was not Jellal right now. He was Mr Gerard. He could not do this to Erza. He had sworn to himself that this would be the perfect date.

Ah, and there was the matter with Doranbolt, he remembered faintly. His mind was spinning. Meredy…dating…

"Why _him_?"

Erza had furrowed her brows as she watched his internal struggle from across the table. She was not entirely sure what had gotten into him, but he looked absolutely miserable as he murmured to himself.

"Uh…Mr Gerard? Is everything alright?"

"I-I can't. I have to…excuse me for a second, Erza. I have an obligation."

Puzzled, she watched as he slowly got up after readjusting his moustache. He could do this. He could give them a piece of his mind without giving away his identity.

Or so he thought.

By the time he arrived at the table where Meredy was feeding Lyon a spoonful of vanilla icecream, Erza had finally spotted Doranbolt. And she had a general idea where this was going. Her hand slowly found her way to her forehead in surrender. So much for a nice and quiet date.

"Ehehermm. Excuse me, younglings."

He tried to keep his voice as deep and elderly as possible, and he thought that he did sufficiently well. The pair at the table apparently didn't.

"Meredy? Isn't that…?"

"I fear so."

"_I _fear you must be confusing me with someone else. My name is Mr. Gerard, and I felt the need to come by and tell you that in my humble opinion, you two seem too young to date, to put it frankly."

"Mr… Gerard?" Meredy lowered her voice. "Jellal, are you serious? Don't ruin my date!"

"J-jellal?! I have never heard such a name in my life! My name is_ Mr. Gerard_."

Several heads turned in their direction – Doranbolt's included. Erza blanched. Slowly, she got up and made her way over to the table everybody's attention had turned to. By the time she arrived, all three had started a loud discussion about appropriate dating age. ("This young man seems much to old for you." – "Then you are too old for Erza!" – "W-what?!") She was torn between whether she should facepalm herself or the person who was supposed to be her date.

"Mr. Gerard." she hissed, and the aura around the table suddenly darkened by multiple shades. "Could you come back to our table please? I'm sure this lovely young couple will be fine. You have your own date to attend to, if I'm not mistaken."

Everybody shivered at the presence. Everybody but Jellal. For a moment, their eyes locked, and Erza stood glued to the ground as he did _that thing_ again. It was like he was staring right into her soul. The desire to crash her lips against his then and there was suddenly overwhelming her. But reality interfered.

"Yeah, Jellal, do as you're told."

"Young lady! I repeat, my name is not Jellal!" Sweat started dripping down his chin. "YOUNG CHILDREN LIKE YOU SHOULDN'T BE DATING ANYWAY!"

In this moment, Erza's nervosity got the best of her. They could not blow his cover.

"Right! Right. I just met this lovely young man today and he made me forget all about this 'Jellal'. Mr Gerard is who I want to be with!"

Jellal turned around in shock, a hurt expression crossing his face. "What?! How could you forget about – oh. Yes. YES! This is the truth!"

They blabbered on and on, with Lyon and Meredy just watching in silent disbelief.

It was in that moment that Doranbolt decided to casually leave.

At the table, the conversation still went on. Lyon had decided to join in.

"Well, Mr. Gerard, tell me: If I am too old to date Meredy, then how can you date Erza? You surely must be nearing sixty."

Jellal – who was sweating furiously by now – gasped in offense. He closed his mouth again and, almost accusingly, looked at Erza.

"I thought this moustache made me look really mature. You said no one would recognize me!"

This was enough to awaken the Titania's fury. Starved for cheesecake _and_ her man. Enough was enough. She whirled around, her eyes burning into Doranbolt, who had nearly made it to the exit. Faster than he could have escaped, she had grabbed and dragged him back to that fateful table. The spark in her eyes was dangerous. Grabbing the poor guy by the collar, she pushed his face close to Jellal's.

"Does he remind you of someone?"

Doranbolt, wise enough to know when to act accordingly, just shook his head furiously until she released her iron grip. With some muttered curses he dashed out of the café as fast as his feet could carry him. Erza's eyes sparkled again, but this time it was with self-satisfied triumph. She smiled at Jellal broadly.

"Can we continue our date now?"

Lyon peeked at Meredy, silently questioning whether it really was over. She rolled her eyes in response. And Jellal had said _she_ was too young? She certainly wasn't the one acting like a big kid around here.

Suddenly, she had to hold back delightful laughter. The occasions where she saw him so carefree were rare. Erza really was a good influence on him. He might be a little crazy from time to time, but he was family. And she was so grateful to have him, overprotective instincts and all. She smiled up at him.

"Mr. Gerard, I think it's time to continue your date."

He sighed, almost unnoticeably shaking his head in defeat. The smile he gave her in response was soft.

"I will. You enjoy yours, too. And –" he squinted his eyes at Lyon. "I expect you to be on your best behavior. If you hurt her-"

"I won't."

"Good."

Erza smiled at the scene unfolding in front of her. As ridiculous as this whole moment had been, it had given her a precious insight into Jellal's little guild-family. She could see why he felt the need to protect Meredy. After all, he had always been such a caring person. She carefully interlocked her arm with his, and smiled when he turned to look at her.

"Maybe we should consider looking for another place."

Jellal looked around. She was right. The whole café was still sneaking nervous glances in their direction from time to time.

"Yeah. Let's go."

Just when they reached the little fence containing the outside area, an all too familiar pinkhead rounded the corner – with the obligatory blonde on his coat-tails. His slanted eyes found them quickly.

"Yo, Je-"

A violent Lucy Pinch stopped him from ever uttering Jellal's name. Erza could faintly make out her aggravated '_What_ did I tell you five minutes ago?!' before she passed through the little gate after Jellal.

The sun was starting to set as the pair walked along some of the less busy streets of Magnolia. Only when they came across a nice little bench did they finally come to a halt, and Jellal was the first to break the silence.

"What… just happened."

"Fairy Tail happened. Really, Crime Sorciere seems to match our fighting spirit all too well." Erza chuckled. "I'm sorry, Jellal. And here I thought we could have an actual date for once. And then when I thought we'd made it, Natsu arrived. Good thing we left in time."

They both had to laugh; the impossibility of the situation getting to them. It took them a while to calm down.

"Erza, I would bear all of Fairy Tail barging in on us if it meant being able to go on a date with you."

Her mouth dropped open, but she had to close it again, for her brain had gone blank. It was not like she didn't know of his harboured feelings deep in her heart, but hearing it out loud, even just implied, sent her heart into a frenzy.

"Me too."

The look they shared next was lingering and filled with unspoken desires.

Erza's hand trembled as she reached out, and then her fingertips touched his cheek. His eyes grew wide and dropped to her mouth, and anticipation built between them. When he couldn't bear the tension any longer, he leaned forward slightly as his lips parted.

She pulled off the glasses.

"Oh." Pause. "Was I still wearing these?"

"Sorry, I just had to take them off." Erza bit her lip in a weak attempt to hold back the sudden giggles threatening to escape her. For a moment they just stared at each other as their cheeks reddened, but then they looked to the side and started snorting with laughter.

Erza was smiling when she looked back up at him. "We can never get anything right, can we?"

The sunlight bathed her hair in a beautiful scarlet glow, and Jellal could only stare into her eyes, that were glowing so brightly from the tears that had formed inside them. The best kind of tears. Happy tears.

The only kind of tears he wanted to see on her face ever again.

"Well I sure hope I will get _this_ right." he mumbled.

He didn't give her any time to process his statement. Instead, he leaned forward, finally closing the distance between them for good. When his lips met hers, he knew he would never spend another night not dreaming about them. They were so soft, so welcoming to his. Sparks danced inside his chest and cascaded down his spine.

When her hands snaked around his neck he pulled her closer, and the glasses fell from her hands.

"Jellal…" she whispered against his lips. His fingers glid along strands of her hair as they stared at each other longingly before he leaned back in to claim another kiss, soft and exploring.

Now that she knew what he tasted like, she could never get enough of him. A thought from earlier ghosted through her mind as their lips met again and again.

_What would they taste like with cake on them?_

Maybe, if she was really lucky, she would find out one day.


End file.
